Cosmetic containers such as those used for deodorants, antiperspirants and lipsticks are filled with a volume of product from the top of the cosmetic holder to the top of the barrel. This product can be a paste, gel or solid cosmetic material. The cosmetic holder is moved upwardly during use to expose some of the product. When the product has been fully consumed the top of the cosmetic holder is adjacent the top of the barrel.
It is customary during promotions to fill cosmetic containers so that they contain 10 to 25 percent or more of a cosmetic product. In some instances this requires the use of different larger barrels. In other instances different cosmetic holders or other parts must be used. The problem is that each of these different parts requires a different mold. Molds are expensive. It is expensive to have different sets of molds to be used only during the times of promotions.
Additionally, it is useful if the same molds can be used to make cosmetic containers having different standard fill amounts. The objective would be to save the cost of making additional molds. That is, the same molds can be used to make products where the difference in fill amounts is only several grams. In such cases a prominent label can provide the information as to the fill amount.
This problem is solved by the present cosmetic containers. The same barrel is used for all sizes. The amount of product filled into a cosmetic container is regulated by the effective length of the projections extending downwardly from the underside of the cosmetic holder and/or upwardly from the upper surface of the base portion. This can be the actual length of the projections on the cosmetic holder or on the base portion, or ribs of different length that are a part of the cosmetic holder projections or base portion projections. The ribs change the effective length of the cosmetic holder projections or base projections. In one embodiment the effective length of these projections can be formed by the mold parts such as mold pins that are placed in the mold that makes the cosmetic holder and/or base portions and which form ribs on the base projections or cosmetic holder projections. The effective length of the projections can be of a length depending on the length of the mold pin and thus the length of the ribs. In another embodiment the length of the cosmetic holder projections or base portion projections can be varied by the use of different mold parts such as mold sleeves. Consequently, in order to produce cosmetic holders and/or base portions that have different effective length projections (and thus different fill amounts) it only is necessary to stock mold parts such as mold pins of different lengths. There is no need to stock barrels and/or cosmetic holders and/or base portions for different fill amounts. Using the present techniques through the use of different mold parts the same molds are operated to make the needed parts. The same parts are made continuously with the same molds with the only change being mold parts such as mold sleeves or mold pins. This provides a capital cost savings for molds and an operating cost savings with regard to the inventory of parts that is needed. In addition, this provides for a quick changeover to different sizes. It solves the problem of a lower cost way to make cosmetic products of different fill amounts using the same container.